Method and system for prion inactivation

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-10-04
ETHICON INC
View PDF15 Cites 9 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017]A method, according to the present invention, of inactivating prions comprises the steps of: placing an article having a quantity of prions thereon into a sterilization chamber; contacting the article with a plasma to effect inactivation of the prions. Preferabl

Problems solved by technology

However, unlike the normal form of the protein, the abnormal proteins accumulate, particularly in neural tissue, eventually causing neural cell death.
Common sterilization methods have not been successful in rendering prions non-infectious.
The manner in which a prion is folded tends to make denaturing the prion using typical protein denaturing agents ineffective.
The elevated temperature and pH of the accepted methodology is often quite damaging to the instruments.
It had been thought that sterilization systems which employ hydrogen peroxide vapor and or hydrogen peroxide vapor coupled with plasma would be unable to inactivate prions.
This methodology failed to sufficiently inactivate prions on the instruments to render them non-infectious.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Method and system for prion inactivation
  • Method and system for prion inactivation
  • Method and system for prion inactivation

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0052]The efficacy tests were conducted by placing a CSR-wrapped tray (3.5″×10″×20″) consisting of representative medical devices and test lumens in a 20-liter aluminum chamber (4.4″×12″×22″). A one-inch stainless steel wire inoculated with at least 1×106 Bacillus stearothermophilus spores was placed in the center of each of the test lumens. The effects with and without temperature control of the diffusion path were investigated with both a TEFLON, poly(tetrafluoroethylene)lumen having an internal diameter of 1 mm and a length of 700 mm, and a stainless steel lumen having an internal diameter of 1 mm, and a length of 500 mm. All lumens were open at both ends. Each of the samples were subjected to a sterilization cycle in a 20 liter vacuum chamber, which was held at 40° C. and 3 torr for 5 minutes. 1.44 ml of a 59% solution of hydrogen peroxide in water was injected at atmospheric pressure into the vaporizer which was held at 60° C. The 5 minute clock then started and the chamber was...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

A method is provided for inactivating prions and is particularly effective in inactivating prions on medical devices. An article having a quantity of prions thereon is placed into a sterilization chamber. Pressure in the sterilization chamber is lowered to a pressure below the vapor pressure of hydrogen peroxide and a solution of hydrogen peroxide is admitted into the sterilization chamber and placed into contact with the article to inactivate prions on the article.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to treatment of articles, and more particularly to treatment of articles to inactivate prions thereon.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Most medical instruments are sterilized prior to use. Most are sterilized and sold in protective packaging to maintain their sterile state until the package is opened and the instrument is used in a medical procedure. Some instruments are re-used and must be sterilized prior to such re-use. Common methods of sterilization include high temperature steam, irradiation, and chemical vapors such as ethylene oxide and hydrogen peroxide.[0003]Prions are proteinacious infectious agents which cause similar fatal brain diseases, known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). These diseases include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, also known as “mad cow” disease, Scrapie in sheep, and Wasting disease in elk and deer. Creutzfeldt-Jakob varian...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
IPC IPC(8): A61L2/20A61L2/14
CPCA61L2/14A61L2202/24A61L2202/122A61L2/208
InventorROBERTS, CHARLES G.FAVERO, MARTIN
OwnerETHICON INC